


Test Run

by Siberianskys



Series: A/B/O Series [2]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alpha Clint Barton, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternative Universe-No Superheroes, Arranged Marriage, Beta Phil Coulson, Developing Relationship, M/M, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Other, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-22
Updated: 2020-06-25
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:28:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24831652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Siberianskys/pseuds/Siberianskys
Relationships: Clint Barton/Phil Coulson
Series: A/B/O Series [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1795708
Comments: 18
Kudos: 49





	1. Chapter 1

Phil sat in his rental car, hands still on the steering wheel after pulling in behind Clint in front of the alpha's Georgetown, red brick, townhouse. This felt like a dream. He couldn't help, but think that it wouldn't last. He'd had an application in for years and had never gotten any bites. He still couldn't believe he'd even provisionally been accepted by a young, attractive alpha. In his experience, these things just didn't happen to middle-aged betas. At least they didn't happen to him. He startled at the tapping on the driver's side window. Seeing Clint standing there looking at him expectantly, Phil turned off the engine and waited for Clint to step back so Phil could open the driver's side door. He was surprised when Clint opened the door for him. It had also been Phil's experience that alpha's didn't treat betas in a chivalrous manner.

"Thinking about running?" Clint asked, smiling.

"No," Phil said, "I was just wondering if you and Aurora would be more comfortable if I stayed in a hotel."

Clint held out his hand for Phil's. 

Phil convinced himself that he could hold his hand steady as he allowed Clint to draw him out of the car. 

"We won't get to know each other if you don't stay here with us," Clint said, lifting Phil's hand to his lips and kissing the back of his knuckles.

Phil swallowed hard, feeling himself tremble at Clint's touch. 

Clint closed the driver's seat door and held his hand out for Phil's car keys. 

Phil handed them over and watched as Clint got his suitcase out of the trunk before coming back around to take his hand again.

Aurora stood at the top of the stairs bouncing on her toes as she watched them come up the steps.


	2. Chapter 2

Phil sat on the foot of the bed in Clint's guest room, running his fingers along the hand stitching of the quilt that looked to him like it had been made in the early 20th century. Just like the parts of the house that Phil had seen on his arrival, this room was warm and homey which was not at all what he'd been expecting. Phil had come to the conclusion that he needed to stop comparing Clint to the other alphas of his acquaintance. Phil jerked out of his internal monologue at the excited knocking on his closed door. 

"Are you coming out?" Aurora asked loudly through the door. 

Phil chuckled at the little girl's exuberance as he stood, walked across the hardwood floor and opened the door to Aurora. He was surprised that Clint was standing in the hallway holding Aurora on his hip. 

"Sorry," Clint said sheepishly. 

Phil couldn't stop staring at Clint. He really was beautiful, Phil thought, even in the well-worn gray sweats and Georgetown t-shirt he'd changed into.

"I think I'm over dressed," Phil said. 

"We're having a cookout," Aurora said. "Daddy is going to burn my hotdogs. Do you like them that way, too?"

"I do," Phil said, "with mustard and pickle relish."

"Ewwww," Aurora said. 

"Which one?" Phil asked. 

"Hot dogs are supposed to have cheese and ketchup on them."

"Tell your daddy he should never take you to Chicago," Phil said. 

"Why can't I go to Chicago?" Aurora asked. 

"They throw you out for asking for ketchup on hot dogs," Phil said. 

"Why?" Aurora asked. 

"I don't know," Phil said. "I like ketchup, too."

Aurora grinned, leaned over and kissed Phil on the cheek. She squealed when the doorbell rang and wiggled out of her daddy's hold. 

Putting her down, Clint said, "Make sure it's who you think it is."

"I know," Aurora said, running down the hall and down the stairs. 

Clint smiled at Phil and took his smooth face between his calloused hands. "Does that mean I can kiss you, too?" he asked. 

Phil nodded, his heart thumping in his chest. 

Clint gently pressed his lips to Phil's before he smiled back as he said, "you can meet us in the back yard after you've changed into something more cookout appropriate."

Phil nodded as he watched Clint follow in Aurora's tracks.


	3. Chapter 3

As Phil walked toward the back of the house and toward the kitchen, he could hear talking and laughing coming through the open French doors that lead to the back yard. He stood in the doorway and watched the group of friends not sure he could do this.

"I told them that it was going to be too much," Clint said, coming up behind Phil and resting his hands on Phil's shoulders, "but they wouldn't take no for an answer." 

"I've never been good in groups," Phil said. 

"I'll protect you," Clint said in Phil's ear before kissing him on the neck.

"No fair keeping him all to yourself," a man that Phil recognized as Tony Stark said as he came in through the French doors. 

"Tony," Clint said, "this is Phil. Phil this is Tony." 

"Come on Phil," Tony said taking Phil by the arm and tugging him through the doors, "we don't bite unless you want us to." 

Phil looked helplessly over his shoulder at Clint as he was pulled along. 

"Tony," Clint said, "you promised.",

"I lied," Tony said, grinning as he led Phil to the group of friends gathered in the yard. 

"Uncle Tony," Aurora asked, "are you being bad?" 

"I'm not," Tony said. "Your dad was keeping Phil all to himself. I thought he should share with the rest of the class."

Aurora wrapped her arms around Phil's waist and hugged him tightly. "It'll be okay."

"I'll take your word for it," Phil said, looking around at the group. He wished Clint had told him that his friends were coming and that most of them were public figures. It was overwhelming.


	4. Chapter 4

Phil lay in bed and stared at the ceiling. He couldn't believe he blew it. He was so close to finally having a family and then he had to go and overreact to a few people. Why was he such a --

"Phil?" Clint asked, sticking his head in the guest bedroom door, "are you awake?"

"I'm so sorry," Phil said. 

"No, honey, don't be sorry," Clint said, sitting on the side of the bed. "It's my fault. I should have put my foot down. That's a lot all at once. They're my family; they wanted to meet you and I just couldn't say no. I should have made them come one or two at a time."

"You're not mad?" Phil asked. 

"Of course not," Clint said, running his thumb along Phil's cheek.

"They must not approve," Phil said. 

"You'd be surprised," Clint said. "They're all pretty much in unorthodox relationships. You don't see two alphas together very much for instance."

"Steve and Bucky are both alphas?" Phil asked. 

"Let me guess," Clint said, "since he's so petite, Steve must be an omega. That's pretty judgy, Phil."

"It was more Steve's and Bucky's dynamic that made me think Steve was an omega or possibly a beta," Phil said. 

"They grew-up together," Clint said. "Steve was very premature when he was born and constantly sick. Bucky made it his mission in life to take care of Steve."

"And they fell in love," Phil said.

"They did," Clint said. "And they gave me the idea to branch out in my search for a co-parent for Aurora."

"I would think that Tony might have been useful in that regard as well," Phil said. "I remember watching the trial. I didn't think he had a prayer of gaining ownership of his father's company. I was so glad that I was wrong. No competent adult should have to have a guardian just because of their gender."

"I knew I picked right," Clint said. "I wanted a spouse that would treat my little girl the same no matter what her gender assignment turns out to be at puberty."

"Natasha didn't look so sure about me," Phil said. 

"It takes Nat a long time to trust," Clint said, "except maybe Bruce and that took a long time."

"I thought she was your best friend," Phil said. 

"She is," Clint said, "but we've known each other since she was placed in the same group home that I was."

"That had to be--" Phil said. 

"Yeah, but I finally aged out and got Nat out," Clint said. 

"It's why you do what you do," Phil said. 

"No child should ever live like that," Clint said. 

"If you'll allow it, I'd like to help you see to it that one never does," Phil said. 

"Scooch over," Clint said. 

Phil scooted over and made room for Clint next to him in the queen-sized bed.

Clint held out his arms and Phil cuddled up against him and rested his head over his heart and listened to Clint's heartbeat. Maybe there was hope after all, Phil thought as he fell asleep in Clint's arms.


End file.
